Postdoctoral Research Fellow (van Bijsterveldt Lab) - Generative Biology Institute

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (van Bijsterveldt Lab) - Generative Biology Institute

EIT - Ellison Institute of Technology

Oxford, United Kingdom

The van Bijsterveldt Lab

We are seeking ambitious, creative, and highly skilled Postdoctoral Researchers to join the van Bijsterveldt Lab at GBI. The van Bijsterveldt Lab, led by Principal Investigator Linda van Bijsterveldt, is working at the frontier of genome engineering. Our mission: to build chromosomes from scratch and control how they are inherited.

The chromosome is the fundamental unit of inheritance and the only vehicle large enough to encode truly new biological functions. Yet we currently lack the tools to build one from scratch and control its transmission. Our research tackles the core challenges in synthetic chromosome engineering: centromere design, faithful mitotic segregation, and the control of chromosome pairing and recombination during meiosis in both mammals and plants. The long-term vision is programmable synthesis and inheritance of large synthetic genetic systems, with broad implications for how we understand and engineer life.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and troubleshoot experiments, including the development of novel methodologies and adaptation of existing techniques to new applications;
• Analyse complex datasets using computational and statistical tools, interpreting results in the context of broader research goals;
• Contribute intellectually to the research direction by identifying opportunities for innovation and refining research questions;
• Prepare and publish high-quality scientific papers, reports, presentations, and protocols;
• Present research at national and international conferences, seminars, and internal meetings;
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams within GBI, EIT, and external partners to advance complementary workstreams;
• Build and maintain research infrastructure, laboratory capabilities, and cutting-edge technologies;
• Mentor and support junior researchers, including PhD students and research assistants;
• Translate research findings into commercial or translational opportunities in alignment with EIT’s mission;
• Identify and pursue opportunities for intellectual property generation and protection;
• Ensure research activities comply with EIT’s policies, legal requirements, and best scientific practice.

This list is not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to undertake additional tasks and duties commensurate with the role.

Requirements

Essential and Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Completed a PhD in a relevant field (e.g., synthetic biology, computational biology and AI, microbial, plant and human cell biology, genomics, robotics and automation, and nucleic acids chemistry);
• Track record of delivering ambitious research projects to a high standard;
• Strong track record in research, ideally in molecular biology, synthetic biology, or related fields;
• Skilled in data analysis and interpretation; experience with genomic analysis, automation, or computational tools desirable;
• Proven ability to work independently, think creatively, and solve complex experimental problems;
• Experience publishing in high-impact journals and presenting at international conferences;
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience collaborating in multidisciplinary teams;
• Capacity to build and sustain productive collaborations internally and externally;
• Resilience, adaptability, and enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, high-growth research environment.